AATCC Honors Kevin Plank And Under Armour Innovation Team With The Henry E. Millson Award

March 23, 2016

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — March 23, 2016 — AATCC has named Kevin Plank and the Innovation Team at Under Armour as recipients of the Henry E. Millson Award for Invention for the creation and development of moisture-wicking athletic wear based on synthetic microfiber fabrics. This led to the formation and evolution of the company and a new category of performance apparel. The Millson Award recognizes innovative inventions in the textile field.

Plank founded Under Armour in 1996, and serves as the company’s CEO and Chairman on the Board of Directors. He designed the first Under Armour HeatGear T-shirt, which he named the #0037. The shirt was engineered as a compression garment with moisture-wicking synthetic microfibers to keep athletes cool and dry in hot conditions. In 1997, the company introduced garments with ColdGear performance fabric to keep athletes warm and dry in cold conditions.

Randy Harward, an industry veteran with over 35 years of experience in the apparel and outdoor industries and Senior Vice President of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing at Under Armour, will accept the Millson Award on behalf of the Under Armour Innovation Team at the Awards Luncheon at AATCC’s International Conference, in Williamsburg, VA, USA, at the Williamsburg Lodge, on Thursday, April 21 at noon.

The Millson Award

AATCC named the Millson Award for Invention for Henry E. Millson, a noted inventor who was head of dyes research for American Cyanamid. Millson, the 1958 recipient of AATCC’s Olney Medal for outstanding achievement in textile chemistry, endowed the award in 1979 with the stipulation that he never be considered a candidate. After agreeing to that condition, the Association promptly named the award in his honor.